I am licensed in Illinois, North Carolina, and Indiana, with 22 years of professional work experience. I am also a licensed clinical addictions counselor in Indiana. I have experience in helping clients with lgbtq+ related issues, relationship issues, family conflicts, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process. Each of us holds the power to make choices that will enhance our lives and move us closer to our goals. Sometimes we are able to move towards change with deliberation and intent and other times we find ourselves in situations and circumstances where we feel an urgent need to change our thoughts, behaviors, or feelings. Change can be difficult, but my role is to provide you with the support you need to manage planned and unplanned transitions and changes. I believe that enhancing wellness and increasing a client’s sense of empowerment to make better choices will help clients become more capable of finding happiness and contentment in their lives. Helping clients learn to better manage life stressors and develop strategies for coping with developmental transitions and relational challenges are emphases in my work. In our work together, I may employ a variety of therapeutic techniques to encourage you to take new perspectives and engage in new behaviors that will help you better manage the challenges that have brought you into my office. Using a humanistic framework, and depending on the nature of the concern, I may use techniques from cognitive and behavioral therapy, existential counseling, choice theory, and feminist theory. I often incorporate client homework assignments into therapy including bibliotherapy, journaling, or other brief writing assignments.